By Holly Junice
Highlanders Fall to the Rams 2-0
Visiting Rhode Island shutout NJIT in Wednesday night’s men’s soccer game on Lubetkin Field. With a goal in each half, the Rams kept the Highlanders out of their net and off the board.
After a spectacular block by NJIT’s junior goalkeeper Christian Foust twenty-two minutes into the first half, the Rams’ Ryan Bailey snagged the rebound and sent the ball to the back of the net.
Despite not getting on the scoreboard first, the Highlanders didn’t let the Rams stampede to the goal for the remaining first half. In fact, NJIT led in shots, shots on goal and corner kicks. However, the Highlanders were forced away by the Rams’ defense before gaining a spot on the board.
After a clean, graceful dive-save by Christian Foust in the second half the Highlanders kicked it into high-gear, outshooting the visiting Rams 12-7.
A damaging lull in pressure with less than three minutes remaining in the match allowed Rams’ sophomore Dante Lamb to notch a shot past Foust. This left the Highlanders down by two and still off the board.
Shot after shot taken, Rhode Island’s sophomore goal keeper Nils Leifhelm came away with his eleventh career shutout and his second this season. As for Highlanders’ keeper, Foust has allowed only seven of nineteen shots taken on him this season and holds a .752 career save percentage.
This loss broke a twelve-game winning streak for home matches for men’s soccer. This past Sunday, September 20th, the Highlanders tied with Manhattan 2-2. The Highlanders will be playing against Fordham in New York this Saturday, September 26th.
